What I Made this Week: 6/29/24

Well, here we go ... this is my 25th of the month, holiday prep post!

On or around the 25th of each month, I try to do something towards upcoming holiday preps.  This week I focused on getting started with holiday gifts for my grands and this is how it started ...

These are inexpensive (4 x 6) small photo albums.  

I removed the inside front and back coverings that came in each and replaced them with some Christmas themed scrapbooking paper that I had on hand.  Some really pretty heavy Christmas wrapping paper would also work.  Next, I cut out a piece of cereal box cardboard to the correct size and slipped it in behind the scrapbooking paper for the front and back.  This gave the front and back covers some structure and stiffness.

I also put a piece of coordinating scrapbooking paper on the inside front and back pockets.

My plan is to use these little albums to create a 12-days of Christmas type gift for each of my grands.

 I have several to do and am going to try to complete one 'day' per week in each of them.  I'll do my best to share each finished 'day' as I go along.

In addition to the holiday 'creating' I did, I stitched up another pillowcase for Ryan's Case for Smiles ...

This is number 6 of the 20 I want to do by the Labor Day holiday.

 That's it for this week.  

Please share what you stitched up or created this week, I would love to hear about what you're working on!    

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

What I Made this Week: 6/22/24

 Grandma was a little under the weather the later part of the week, but I did manage a finish and it was for our home ...

A few years ago, we purchased a country ham and the more I looked at the bag it came in, the more I decided that I would like to turn it into a small throw pillow.   I gave it a good washing and set it aside.  It took me a while to get back to it though ... what can I say!

When I did, I carefully cut it down to size, stitched on a ticking backing and then stuffed it with all the fabric bits and bobs I've been saving.  Yes, the entire pillow is filled with fabric scraps like is shown in the picture and yes, I had lots.  Fabric has gotten so expensive that I aim to use every scrap of it in some way!

Here it is on an antique rocking chair on my front porch.

Then I brought it in and added it to an antique gooseneck rocking chair in our living room.  I think I like it best inside on this chair.

It suits the 'farmhouse' decor style I have going on in my home and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

That's it for this week.  Next week, my focus will be on working on Christmas sewing or making as the 25th of the month falls during the week.  For those who don't know, I try to do something toward Christmas on or around the 25th of each month.

Please share what you stitched up or created this week, I would love to hear about what you're working on!    

Until next time ...

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

What I Made This Week: 6/15/24

 I had very little sewing time that I could squeeze in this week, but I was determined to do something every day towards my project, and I did every day except one ...

On more than one day, I pinned and prepared items for stitching and stacked them where I put items that are ready to run through the sewing machine.  I call this batch sewing.  Rarely, are they the same items, sometimes they are, but usually they are different projects in different stages of completion ... if that makes sense!

One day, I pressed fabric for a project

One day, I stitched up the small stack of items that I had previously pinned, pressed and prepared for stitching

One another day, I wound the bobbin for my sewing machine.

None of these tasks took long, 5 - 30 minutes each.  Several days of 5 - 30 minutes of prep or sewing adds up by the end of the week.

Having a designated sewing nook means I can snatch bits and bobs of time all through the day.  My sewing nook is in one corner of my kitchen/dining/living room, right there in the hub of our home. Does it sometimes look, unkept?  Yes, but in my opinion, a bit unkept is different than the area being dusty, dirty and unkept in the cleanliness department.  To me, a clean but somewhat untidy (within reason, of course) sewing nook screams a busy seamstress who is trying to get in as much creating as possible!

So, what project did I complete this week in spite of my busy schedule ...

I call these pocket aprons ...

I wear one when I garden or go for a walk, each section holds something different such as:

a bottle of water

 a phone

and anything else that's pertinent to the outside task or activity I'll be doing.

(This is a good way to use fabric you have in your stash that may not be your favorite ... if you know what I mean!)

These little pocket aprons get used almost daily and consequently wear out over time.  The ones I was using before I completed these have been repaired and repaired and repaired again and are soon reaching the point where they will need replacing ... hence, it was time to get some stitched up.  They are really easy to make and don't require a pattern.

I take one yard of fabric and cut it on the fold.  This will give me 2 (approximately 22 x 36 inch) pieces.  Then I take each piece and fold it in half lengthwise.  This gives me 2 folded pieces that measures 22 inches wide and 18 inches tall.  I then pin the desired size fold (pocket) up and in place and stitch along the outside edges (Approximately 1/8 inch from edge.) of each 'pocket apron' and across the bottom (Approximately 1/4 inch from bottom fold.  This re-enforces the pocket bottoms).  Next, I mark where I want to stitch to divide the apron up into individual pockets.  I like to run a stitching line from the top of the fold to the bottom about every 4 - 5 inches.

(Yes, I know that using this method uses more fabric, but I choose this method so that my pocket aprons will be stronger and hold up longer under the kind of use they get.)

To finish it off, I place biased tape on each raw edge side and stitch it down.

The last step is to measure how long I want the ties to be and add it to the width of the top of the apron.  Stitch it down along the raw edges of the top of the apron all the way down the open side of the ties as well ... and it is ready for use!  Just like that, easy peasy and oh so useful ... or they are for me!

That's it for this week.  I have several projects in various stages of completion ... which one will I choose to finish up next!  Meet me back here next week to find out!

       Please share what you stitched up or created this week, I would love to hear about what you're working on!                                                                              

Until the next time,

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

What I Made this Week: 6/8/24

 I finished up a second prairie style skirt this week ...

I made it the same way as the chicken skirt I made last week ...

(I updated the chicken skirt post with styling options, go back and check it out!)

I paired it with a light gray t-shirt from my closet, some jewelry, earrings and summer sandals.

The end result is a comfortable summer outfit that didn't break the bank to create and one that I enjoy wearing.  Yes, I've already worn it and will wear it many more times this summer!

Please share what you stitched up or created this week, I would love to hear what you're working on!

Until the next time,

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

What I Made This Week: 6/1/24

Deciding to be more intentional in looking for moments to sew and create have paid off this week!

Here's what I worked on and completed ...

I've named this my 'chicken skirt.'  Yes, I have!  I fell in love with this fabric when I saw it on the bolt at a local fabric store.  I used my personal money and purchased 2 yards.

I 'sat' on the fabric for several weeks not sure what I would do with it.  I like modest fashion and am always keeping an eye out for 'looks' that I want to copy.  When I saw a similar style skirt in my perusing one day, a lightbulb went off in my head and I knew what I was going to do with it.

Ta-da ... my 'chicken skirt!'

I worked on it 15 - 30 minutes at a time all week until I finished it.  I couldn't be more pleased with the way it turned out.

The specifics:

The skirt is made with 2 full yards of 45-inch-wide fabric.

No pattern was used.  I basically cut the fabric into one-yard increments. Sewed the sides together using French seams.  Hemmed it, made the casing for the elastic, inserted the elastic, stitched up the elastic opening and it was done.

It has an elastic waist and is mid-calf to ankle length.

The fabric is mid-weight 100% cotton.

It's a whimsy kind of skirt that will bring me joy to wear!

This week I will work on styling it and pulling together a complete outfit using what I have in my closet.

Update 6/5/24 ... the way I'm styling this skirt ...

With a blue t-shirt, jewelry, earrings and summer sandals.

For those times when I'm going to be in a cooler/cold environment, I'll pair it with this blue jean jacket, jewelry, earrings and ankle boots.

I also stitched up 2 more pillowcases of the 20 I plan to stitch, make and mail by September for Ryan's Case for Smiles.

Please share what you stitched up or created this week, I would love to hear what you're working on!

Until the next time,

patsi @ Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine

My other blogs:

A Working Pantry

From This Heart of Mine

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps keep in sewing supplies.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.